Salam alaik.
A fresh breath.
Let us start now. This is just a simple journal on my short journey, 20 minutes something, from the bus station to my rented home. The story is simple, again, I state this, but I can't stop myself from being too deep and reflective about the lesson I've learnt from a common taxi driver.
After I arrived at the bus station, as usual, I went to nearby shop to buy Twisties and canned drink. Then I went to the taxi centre to look for a taxi. There was an elder man there, asking where I headed to, and I told him. He said it would cost me RM25, he assumed I was a Poli student (because my home was somewhere near Poli, a college for undergraduates). I was furious (assuming that this uncle might want to take advantage on me) so I asked him, "Did the taxi fee have been raised? Because the I usually take taxis and they cost me RM20 from my home to here,". So the uncle, agreed to pay me RM20. He asked me to sit there, waiting for the driver.
I drank for a while and my eyes kept staring at the table which listed the fare for each destination. There it stated, to my home, it would cost RM20, and my home is nearer than the exact destination. I hoped the uncle looked at me. I used to pay RM25 for taxi drivers that circled further from my home and asked me to pay extra RM5. I do not want to be cheated again.
So the driver whom I was waiting for came out, and invited me to his taxi. He is a man in his early thirties. A rare sight, because most taxi drivers I meet are in their 50s or 60s. We had small talk, like the current hot weather and flash floods three days ago. Then I stopped the conversation firmly. I was tired and thirsty.
When I was nearing my home, I realised this taxi driver had a sticker on his taxi, a Big Boh sticker. This sticker gave me the final impression that this taxi driver is a good man.
Then, when I reached my destination, the taxi driver asked me how much did the uncle tell me about the taxi fee. I told him that the actual fee was RM20. Thinking about his taxi condition which is superb for an old taxi, ( it had good air conditioner and his driving was smooth but that was a bonus ) because it was filled with car stickers, but that Big Boh sticker had my attention, and his honesty asking me how much to pay, relieved me. Big Boh is a nick name for a humble religious teacher, well known in Malaysia for his charm in attracting youngsters to come and listen to religious sermons with his sense of humour. This Big Boh always replies to questions raised to him on his Facebook wall, and he equips himself with the trends of youngsters nowadays to be used in his lectures. Kinda a powerful set induction, though.
I lied to him, telling him that our destination required him to drive further. So I said I must pay him RM25. I know I am still a student, I need to save money, but the taxi driver I think, needs it more, because, what do you expect of a young man driving a taxi?
Because of his honesty, he got extra RM5. I should have given him extra RM10, but I overlooked that. (pardon my quickly-making-decision mind)
Moral of this story, good people, no matter where they are, will always have a good life. Allah will suffice them in ways they will never realise. Perhaps Allah answers this good man's prayer through me through that extra RM5. I also realised that he performed his prayer on time, which, embarrassed me, too.
If I meet him soon, I'll give him extra RM10 for his honesty. I hope I'm not offering bribe, haha.
A fresh breath.
Let us start now. This is just a simple journal on my short journey, 20 minutes something, from the bus station to my rented home. The story is simple, again, I state this, but I can't stop myself from being too deep and reflective about the lesson I've learnt from a common taxi driver.
After I arrived at the bus station, as usual, I went to nearby shop to buy Twisties and canned drink. Then I went to the taxi centre to look for a taxi. There was an elder man there, asking where I headed to, and I told him. He said it would cost me RM25, he assumed I was a Poli student (because my home was somewhere near Poli, a college for undergraduates). I was furious (assuming that this uncle might want to take advantage on me) so I asked him, "Did the taxi fee have been raised? Because the I usually take taxis and they cost me RM20 from my home to here,". So the uncle, agreed to pay me RM20. He asked me to sit there, waiting for the driver.
I drank for a while and my eyes kept staring at the table which listed the fare for each destination. There it stated, to my home, it would cost RM20, and my home is nearer than the exact destination. I hoped the uncle looked at me. I used to pay RM25 for taxi drivers that circled further from my home and asked me to pay extra RM5. I do not want to be cheated again.
So the driver whom I was waiting for came out, and invited me to his taxi. He is a man in his early thirties. A rare sight, because most taxi drivers I meet are in their 50s or 60s. We had small talk, like the current hot weather and flash floods three days ago. Then I stopped the conversation firmly. I was tired and thirsty.
When I was nearing my home, I realised this taxi driver had a sticker on his taxi, a Big Boh sticker. This sticker gave me the final impression that this taxi driver is a good man.
Then, when I reached my destination, the taxi driver asked me how much did the uncle tell me about the taxi fee. I told him that the actual fee was RM20. Thinking about his taxi condition which is superb for an old taxi, ( it had good air conditioner and his driving was smooth but that was a bonus ) because it was filled with car stickers, but that Big Boh sticker had my attention, and his honesty asking me how much to pay, relieved me. Big Boh is a nick name for a humble religious teacher, well known in Malaysia for his charm in attracting youngsters to come and listen to religious sermons with his sense of humour. This Big Boh always replies to questions raised to him on his Facebook wall, and he equips himself with the trends of youngsters nowadays to be used in his lectures. Kinda a powerful set induction, though.
I lied to him, telling him that our destination required him to drive further. So I said I must pay him RM25. I know I am still a student, I need to save money, but the taxi driver I think, needs it more, because, what do you expect of a young man driving a taxi?
Because of his honesty, he got extra RM5. I should have given him extra RM10, but I overlooked that. (pardon my quickly-making-decision mind)
Moral of this story, good people, no matter where they are, will always have a good life. Allah will suffice them in ways they will never realise. Perhaps Allah answers this good man's prayer through me through that extra RM5. I also realised that he performed his prayer on time, which, embarrassed me, too.
If I meet him soon, I'll give him extra RM10 for his honesty. I hope I'm not offering bribe, haha.
Comments
Post a Comment